Automatic train-pipe coupling.



1. w. BEACHAM a; a. F. POWERS. AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APF'HCATION FILED NQY. l9. lBl3.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHE I.

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1. w. BEACHAM 61 B. F. POWERS. AUTOHAHC mm PIPE COUPUNG.

APPLICATION FILED NW. I9. 1913. Lififlfifi Patented 11111.11, 1915.

2 SHHTS-SNEET 2.

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JOHN WSBEA CHAM, OF MONTGOMERY, AND BENJAMIN F. POWERS, OF BIRMINGHAM,

I ALABAIIA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

memes.

'1'0 (1/? whom it may concern Be it known that we, Jonx W. BEACHAM and BENJAMIN F. Powsns, citizens of the United States of America, residing, respectively, at hltnitmnnery, in the county of Montgomery and State of Alabama, and at Birmingham. in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Pipe Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to automatic coupling mechanism for the air, steam and signal pipes of trains, and our object is to provide-a simple, cheap and thoroughly practical means which will effectively couple the train pipes and which will avoid the necessity of changingthe present --standard arrangement ofpiping and other mechanism on the cars.

A- further object of our invention is to enable cars equipped with our automatic coupling. attachment to be readily coupled with cars not similarly equipped so that no inconvenience will he experienced in the use of our coupler attachments in coupling trains of cars, some of which have no automatic train pipe coupling mechanism. To this end our automatic coupler attachments are coupled u to the iresent standard train hose and can. 1e readily uncoupled from the hose, thereby cutting out the automatic attachment and permitting the hose of adjoining cars to be coupled by hand.

A further objectof our invention is to provide a novel and effective means for mounting the automatic attachment on the draft timbers or car bodies so as to hold them yicldingly in correct coupling position and yet leave them free to follow the maximum angular variations both vertically and horizontally between coupled cars. The point to which the couplers are attached makes them independent of the car coupler.

A further object is to provide the coupler heads with a novel form of interlocking guide members which will not only guide the coupler heads into coupling position under maximum-relative variations in their positions, but after guiding the heads together, will interlock them rigidly on both sides to prevent any relative movement between them While coupled.

A further-object isto yieldingly mount the heads s'o 'that'they 'are held: together .by

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

Application filed November 19, 1818. Serial No. 801,918.

very heavy spring pressure and to provide means to protect the gaskets, which are used to insuretight joints, from being injured by this heavy pressure.

A further object is to so design the coupler heads for freight and passenger cars that the air brake connections of a freight car can be automatically coupled to the air brake connections of a passenger train and the interposition of a freight car will have no other effect than to interrupt the steam heating and signal connections to cars in the rear of it.

Our invention further comprises the details of construction and arrangement of parts which we regard as the preferred embodiment of our invention and which are hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings. in which Figure 1 is a bottom view of frei ht cars equipped with our automatic train pipe couplers. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fi 1. slowing the present style of air hose in full lines connected to our automatic couplers. and in dotted lines. the hose are connected together manually, thereby cutting out the automatic. couplers. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing the bracket supports in perspective for the automatic coupler. the head of which is shown in vertical cross-section. Fig. i is an enlarged front view of a coupler head for use. on passenger coaches. F ig. 5 is a perspective view showing two passenger car coupling heads as they approach to couple. Fig. (l is a detail view of the gasket and its locking pin, and Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing the coupier heads for passenger and freight cars coupled.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

Our object being to produce a train pipe coupling equipment adapted for the purposes described which is rugged in its nature. requires a minimum of machine work and can be applied to cars without rcquiring any rte-arrangement of their present standard equipment. we have shown as a preferred embodiment of our invention an automatic coupler head i for freight cars and a coupler head 2 for passciurcr cars. which heads are preferably cast integral with a stem 3 which is provided at an intermediate point with a shoulder or stop 4 serving as the forward seat for a heavy coiled compression spring ."i. This spring surrounds the stem and at its rear end seats against a lug 6 through which the steinpasses freely. lhis lug seats against the rear bracket wluch comprises a vertical U- shaped metal frame frame 7. The lug 6 its slidingly against this baraudthe bottom of the frame 7 and is adapted'to swing horizontally with the rear end. of stem 3 which is held normally in the center of the bracket-by means 'of a pair of coil springs 9, one of which is disposed on each side of the stem and-hasits outer end and receives a stop pin:12 which holds a washer 12 thatis adaptedto engage the rear bracket and stop the forward travel of the stem 3, under the influence of spring 5, when-thecars uncouple. .At its forward end the stem 3 rests on a front U-shaped bracket .13 having its upper ends Mspassin up between the draft timbers and provided with outturned, perforated flanges by which it is bolted firmly in place. Neither bracket in any way interferes with the draw-bar of the car coupler, and if desired they can be secured in anv suitable manner to the body of the ear. The stem 3 is'crmiined by the forward bracket to adjustments vertically, being guided by means of an inverted U- shaped frame 15 having slightly greater width than the stem itself and which is bolted to the base member of the bracket 13. At its upper end the frame 15 has a depending stu 16 connected thereto which serves to hold in operating position in said frame the coil spring 17 which presses the stem 8 downwardly against the bracket. The frame 15 has suilicient clearance to permit the stem to pivot on it as its rear end shifts sidewise in the rear bracket but it co-acts with the springs i) to normally hold the stem and coupler head in alinement with the longitudinal center line of the car. Also the stem has enough clearance in the rear lug t3 and in the rear bracket to permit its forward end to rise and fall vertically inthe frame 15 of the front bracket." Thespring 5 is designed to have a com )ression soiasto overcome all lost-motion m thecoupling connections of two cars and is designed to maintain a hifghpressure, say atleastQOO pounds, on he stem and coupling-head that the springs 5 shouh and an intermediate transverse bracclliar 8'havm its an led' ends bolted to the 11111011\G1tlCt1T'S1(lQS of the when the cars are stretched out under pull or when the are uncouiled. We prefer l be under heavy compression even when the car is not coupled so that the high compression desired can be'obtaincd in the relatively small longitudinal movementof the stem required.

Referring now to the design of the coupler head, we have shown two forms which are illustrated in side elevation in Fig. 7, the head 1 being designed for use with frei ht cars which are equipped with only a sing e train line pipe 18 for the air brake pressure. The coupler head 2 is adapted to couple two other npes, namely, the air signal pipe line and the steam heating pipe line. Both heads are similar at their upper .portions containing the air brake connections-but the heads 2 are deeper to accommodate the two additional connections required for the signal aml steam heating pipes. The heads are preferably cast integral with the stems and when cast are formed with an air brake pressure passage 19 which leadsfrom the side of the head inwardly and then at an made out through the front'end of the head. Thecoupler heads for passenger cars have a similarlyarranged but smaller passage 20forthe airsignal and below that a third passage 21 for the steam heat. The upperv passageslf) and 20 open out through one-:side of the coupler head while the lower-passage 21 for the steam opens'out through the opposite side. of the head.

These side openings have threads tapped therein and elbows .22 are screwed therein, and to each elbow is connccted a flexible hose having at its lower end one member of the ordinary type of train hose coupling 23. The hose .24 connects with the air brake passage 1!). the hose on with the signal passage 20, and the hose lti with the steam passage 21. The air brake train line 18 is provided with the usual flexible hose 27 having couplings 23 which are adapted-to be brought together b i hand and coupled as is the )resent practice. The hose. 27 are also a( apted to be coupled to the hose 24 on the automatic coupler when the air brake system is to be automatically coupled.

Passenger coaches may be provided with the customary arrangement of steam and signal pipes (not shown) and these will have hose 28 and 29 respectively, connected thereto and adapted either for manual connection to similar hose on another car, when the automatic mechanism is out out, or for connection respectively to the hose 25 and 26, when it is desired to use the automatic coupler. At'theirforward ends the severiil passages 19, 20 and-21 are enlarged to receivegaskets 30. These gaskets when used in connection with-the steam pi e'lines are preferably.formed of a composition of aabe'st'osand rubber so that they will not be injured by the heat; Othe'r\'vise theycan'be made of rubber or other suitable material. These gaskets'as shown in Fig. 6; are provided about their centers with a-circuniferential groove 31 which registers with a vertic'al bolt'hole through thehe'ad so that a bolt can be passed down through the head and caused to engage in the groove 31 of each of the several gaskets and hold them against disengagement. The gaskets are desie'ned to project beyond the forward face oi the coupler head and are protected against being crushed by otl'set shoulders 33 at thetop and bottom of the front face of the coupler head. 'lhese shoulders are oil"- sct less than the gaskets normally project so that the gaskets are subjected to sullicicnt compression when the heads are coupled to insure a tight joint and yet avoid being crushed under the heavy compression strain exerted on the heads by the action of springs 5 on the con ler stems 3.

E "ch coup ing head. whether for passenger or ,freight cars, is provided with members for guiding the coupling heads together and lockin them tightly together when coupled. 'I hese means comprise a shank 34 attached to or molded on one side of the head. This shank is preferably made square and at its outer end is tapered ouhvardly to a point,- being joined to the head at a point substantially opposite the passage 19. On the other side of the head is' molded or otherwise attached a tunnel shaped guide box 35. The tunnel end of the box stands tlush with the front face of the coupler head and converges on a gradual taper from all sides to a square extension lock box 36 having a cross-sectional opening made just large enough to receive the square body portion of the shank member 34- so that when the shank is forced home into the guide box it will make such a snug lit in the extension as that it will hold the couplers rigid. 'lhe shank ill is given extra length and the guide box 35 is correspondingly elongated to increase the total bearing between these parts and to insure them holding the couplers rigid. luasuuich as each coupler is provided with a shank ill and uide box 3;"), they are interlocked on each side. in order to increase the displacement which the guide boxes will provide for and still not to guide the heads into coupled position. we groove or cut away the inside front face of the coupler at 37. The shanks and guide boxes have the same relative position on the upper end of the coupler for both passenger and freight equipment, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 7, so that a freight car can have its air brake line automatically coupled with that of a passenger car. The si al and steam heating train lines will obviously be interrupted at the freight coupler. The

freight' car coupler may be equipped with the ordinary'type of rubber gasket as it will not be subjected to heat.

The automatic couplers are preferably disposed about six inches below the draw head and from seventeen to nineteen inches from the top of the rails, this placing them out of position to interfere with or be injured by the car coupler and in position for being conveniently coupled into or cut out of the train pipe system.

In practice we have found it desirable to give the stem 3 a lateral clearance of approximately two inches and a vertical clearance of approximately six inches within the frame 15. The manner of locking the gas kets in position ircvcnts them arring or working loose out they will not. wear rap idly due to the fact that the guide means lock them against relative movement while coupled and in uncoupling they separate without a twisting movement. The bracket construction shown we regard as preferable in that it most ell'ectively holds the heads in proper aliuement for coupling while permitting them the maximum angular play required.

\Ve desire it. understood, in the event the use of our equipment should bccomc so general that. it would be unnecessary to provide for coupling to cars without automatic equipment. that the train pipes can be direct connected to the passages in the coupler head in any suitable manner.

in oli'ect-ing a coupling the compression springs 5 will hold the pipe coupling heads in advance of the car couplers so that. the pipe coupling heads engage and their springs are put under considerable additional compression before the car coupling is made. This extra mmpression on the springs causes them to couipensate for the push and pull variation in distance between the cars. The springs and parts are de signed to provide for a sullieieut compression to hold the pipe coupling heads in positive coupled engagement throughout the maximum relative movements between coupled cars.

llaving thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure. by Letters Patent. istl. A train pipe coupling comprising a member having a conduit therein and means to guide and interlock therewith another coupling member. said means comprising on one side of the member a projecting guide arm tapered outwardly from its inside to its outside side edges and having a straight outer side edge and on the other side a funnel shaped guide box converging into a rear lock box having a greater length than the guide box and shaped and positioned to receive and bear against the long outer side of the guide arm of another coupler, a sutlicient portion of thearm fitting into said lock box torigidly interlock said parts. i

'2. In a tram pipe coupling, in combination, a coupler member having aconduit, a rcarwardly extending stem for said member, front and rear brackets adapted to be fastened to a car, the front/bracket having a narrow vertical guide frame in which the stem fits loosely enough to pivot about its sides and to more vertically, a spring adapted to hold the stem against the bottom of the guide frame, the rear bracket having a horizontal guide frame in which the stem fits loosely and is free to swing laterally spring means to hold the stem centrally of said rear bracket, spring means to urge the stem longitudinally outwardly throu b said brackets, and stop means to limit tie outward travel of said stem.

3. in combination, a train pipe coupler and supporting mechanism therefor comirising afront bracket havin its vertical legs adapted to be received between and attached-to the draft sills, a vertical coupler guide mounted in said bracket a rear bracket having its vertical legs at a )ted to embrace the outer sides of the draft sills and to be attached to said sills, a horizontal coupler uide mounted in said rear bracket, rear race means for said rear bracket, spring means in said brackets to center the coupler, and spring means to urge the coupler forwardly in its sup )orts.

4. In a train pipe coup er, a coupler head having one or more conduits and means to connect same with the train pipe connections, ofa shank for supporting said conduits, a pair of brackets for su porting the shank, the forward bracket iaving fast therein a narrow vertical guide frame in which the shank is guided for adjustment in a vertical )lane and about which the shank is angularly adjustable, a spring to oppose said vertical adjustment, a rear bracket having a narrow horizontal uido frame in which the shank is COllllllLl to adjustments Copies of this patent may be obtained for memes a bracket and arrest the forward travel of the shank, substantially as described.

5. In a train pi we con )lcr comprising a coupling head and shank, and means for mounting the shank in adjustable position under a car comprising a front U-sh'aped bracket adapted to be. connected to the car body, a narrow inverted U-shaped frame connected to the bottom of the bracket and adapted to receive in it for vertical adjustment said shank, a spring mounted in said frame and acting to hold the shank against the bottom of the bracket, a rear bracket also connected to the body of the car and comprising a transverse bar which forms with the bottom of the bracket a horizontal guide in which the shank is movable horizontally and longitudinally but not vertically, spring holders set in each end of said horizontal "uide, springs connected to said holders anil adaptcd to slidingly en age the shank on each side to hold it central y of the rear bracket while permitting it to shift horizontally therein, a washer through which the shank )asses loosely and which bears against the. lront of the rear bracket, a stop disposed on the shank between said brackets, a coiled spring surrounding the shank and seated against said washer and stop, and a stop on the shank to the rear of said rear bracket, said forward guide frame )ormitting the shank to move angularly tiercin as its rear end swings horizontally in the rear bracket, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we allix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN \V. BEACHAM. BENJAMIN F. POWERS. Witnesses \V. O. 'lnwmvrr, M. ll. 'loon.

ave cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Eateats,

Washington. D. 0. 

